Discoveries
by Sharptooth
Summary: AU. Fed up with being expected to always save the day while losing everyone he holds dear, Harry decides to end things with the Dark Lord, permanently. Takes place during the summer after 5th year. HP/HG
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything other than the story line . All rights belong to J.K. Rowling

"**Discoveries"**

Hermione Granger was somewhat startled when the snowy owl landed just insider her bedroom window. After a moment though she regained her composure. "Hello Hedwig," she said, smiling at the bird. A moment later she wasn't smiling. The owl was much too agitated for such an observant witch to stay relaxed.

"What's wrong girl?" she asked. "Is it Harry?" In response Hedwig let out a low mournful hoot, holding out her leg for Hermione. Hermione removed the parchment that was rolled up and attached there. She unrolled it and began to read.

_My Dearest Hermione,_

_How do I begin to explain this? Since my return to Privet Drive I have had a lot of time to do nothing more than sit and think. I have come to some conclusions. I have realized that for someone such as me love can be a horrible, dangerous thing. It can turn deadly in an eye blink. _

_I have realized that everyone that I love and care for first gets hurt, and then killed. It is hard to accept, but there it is. My Mum and Dad died when their only crime was to have a baby, and to love that baby. When I found out that I had a Godfather in Sirius Black I gave my love to him. I mean, he was the closest thing to a family that I had. Look at what that accomplished. _

_I came to love the Weasleys as my own family. Look how that has turned out. Ron, who I love as a brother has been attacked and injured by a gigantic chess set, almost smashed by the whomping willow, had a rogue animagus pose as his pet, attacked by acromanutlas, injured by Sirius and almost killed in the Ministry of Magic. Ginny was almost killed in the Chamber of Secrets, and then almost killed in the Ministry as well. Mr. Weasley was almost killed by Voldemort's snake, Nagini. Mrs. Weasley's boggart is her all her kids being killed, because they know me!_

_Let's not forget Luna and Neville, who almost died at Death Eater hands because the followed me. And then there is you. You are the one that has stuck by me through everything, no matter what. You are my best friend in the whole world. You have been the sister that I never had. You never abandoned me even when everyone else did. Do you know what Cho calls you? My "Precious Hermione," that's what. That got me thinking, you see. I admit that it took a while to get through my thick skull, but it finally did. _

_Believe it or not, Rita Skeeter actually got something right. You are my precious Hermione. You were a sister to me, but I came to realize over the last part of the year that you meant oh so much more to me than that. You're the smartest person that I ever met. You make me smile, and laugh, and enjoy living. You're much prettier than you give yourself credit for, and if I hadn't been such a confused git I would have taken you to the Yule Ball myself. But then, I didn't have a clue back then, did I? _

_Anyway, I have come to realize just how much you mean to me, and it scares me so much. Everyone that I love dies, Hermione. I thought that I had lost you last month. I thought you were dead. I couldn't breathe until Neville told me that he found a pulse. Unfortunately that's how it begins. Although it had begun long before. I'm trouble Hermione, but I can't help how I feel, and that's why you are in so much danger. _

_If I can't stop loving you then you're going to end up dead. The problem is that you have captured my heart, and I can't stop. There really is only one solution. The hard part is that I have to take Voldemort with me. The prophesy that was destroyed says so, you see. Dumbledore told me what it said, as he had heard it already. The most important part is this: Neither can live while the other survives… So I'll just have to take him with me. I think I've figured out how to do it. _

_By the time that you read this, I should be seeing Sirius again. I don't think that Ron can make you happy, though he does love you in his own way too. Find someone that makes you happy Hermione, you deserve better than you have gotten._

_Your friend always and forever,_

_Harry_

"Oh no! Oh my God no!" Hermione screamed, collapsing to the floor. Her mother and father found her that way a moment later, the letter clutched in her hand.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" her mother asked as her father scooped her up in strong arms. A quick read later and her mother was looking her in the eye. "Hermione, luv, what's the quickest way to get to Harry? You have to go to him."

"Well, it would be to apparate, or to floo, but I can't do either of those. I guess it would be the Knight Bus," she replied, her mind working furiously. She gathered up her wand and grabbed her mother's hand. "Come on, we've got to get there."

Within minutes they were on the bus. It only took a few moments more and they were pulling up to Number Four, Privet Drive in Little Winging. As they exited the bus a pink haired witch threw off the invisibility cloak that she had been wearing.

"Hermione? What's going on?" Tonks asked.

"No time! Harry's going to try to kill himself!" she shrieked. They started to race towards the front door, only to watch in horror as the entire top corner of the building exploded outwards…

They were knocked flat as the wards blew out, shattering windows all over the neighborhood. Hermione shook her head to clear it. "Tonks, the wards are down! Get us up there, now!"

Tonks nodded once and grabbed Hermione's hand, she turned on the spot and apparated both of them up to where's Harry's room had once been. The devastation was evident as they appeared. Most of the furniture had been vaporized. Looking around in shock and sheer terror, Hermione spotted him, crumpled against a wall. Most of his clothes hung in tatters from his scorched body. His glasses were nowhere to be seen, and much of his hair had been burned from his head.

With a scream she ran to him. Checking him for a pulse she gasped when she found none. She reclined him quickly and placed her hand under his neck, placing the airway in the correct position. He quickly placed her mouth over his, and pinching his nose, blew into his mouth. She did this three times and then started chest compressions.

Tonks in the meantime activated a portkey and disappeared. A few moments later Hermione's parents appeared in the doorway, after having apparently fought their way through the rubble in the rest of the house. It appeared that the Dursleys weren't home.

They found their daughter fighting for the life of her best friend. Her father quickly took over the chest compressions while Hermione resumed forcing the breath back into Harry's body. After a few moments she motioned for her mother to take over and she stood up.

"When I tell you to, move away. I'm going to try and shock his heart." She pulled her wand and thought for a moment. "Now!" Both parents backed up for moment and Hermione pointed her wand at Harry. "_Perculsus!"_ Harry's body jerked a couple of times. The Grangers resumed the CPR. Hermione motioned for them to let her try again. She did so. Harry jerked and then let out a shuddering gasp.

Hermione collapsed down and took him into her arms. She sobbed into his chest. He groaned as he opened his eyes. He vaguely focused on her thick, bushy hair before unconsciousness claimed him once again.

He woke up much later to find himself lying in a hard, uncomfortable bed. He found himself feeling very disoriented and lightheaded, and his mouth felt like it was full of cotton. He tried to sit up, but found his progress blocked by a rather large mass of brown curls across his chest.

"Hermione?" he croaked, his voice breaking. As he said this she stirred. She sat up and looked at him. He witnessed something he never thought he would see in that moment. He watched a swirl of emotions go through his best friend: relief, concern, love (love?) and anger. Then she started hitting him on his chest.

Over and over her small blows rained down upon him, striking him as she sobbed at him. "How DARE you do that to me, Harry Potter? How dare you put me through that? Don't you ever do that to me again! Do you hear me Harry?" Her fists just kept flailing at him as a larger man gently wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off of him. She kicked at him in frustration.

"Calm down Kitten," the older man said to her softly. "Can't you see that he doesn't understand?" He held her until her struggles stopped. "He's been asleep for the last week. He's disoriented. Let him orient himself first."

An older woman came to the other side of the bed. She was probably in her forties, though she was in very good shape for a someone in her middle age. She had thick bushy brown hair and a ready smile. She reached over and cupped the side of Harry's face for a moment. "How are you feeling Harry?" she asked.

"Erm, alright I guess." He looked around. He was in the Hogwarts infirmary. The adults had to be Hermione's parents. She looked too much like Hermione to be anyone else. "Mrs. Granger?" he asked.

"Yes Harry?"

"What's going on? How did I get here?"

"Well Harry, you wrote a very distressing letter to our little girl, and she convinced us to go to you. When we got there we watched your bedroom explode. We found you in the wreckage, and then we worked to bring you back. You left us for a little while, but Hermione wouldn't let you go." She looked at him tenderly. "Can you understand why she's so upset with you?"

Harry hung his head in shame. When he looked back up he looked her straight in the eye and nodded. "I think I do, Ma'am. I deserve everything that she did. I understand why she hates me." He felt a single tear run down he cheek.

"Oh dear," she sighed. "She doesn't hate you Harry. Quite the opposite, I should think," she said with a small smile.

"Mum!" shrieked Hermione. She glared for a moment at her mother. Then she turned her gaze on Harry. "Why?"

"Everyone I love dies, Hermione. Can't you see that? Everyone that I get close to Voldemort kills. I… I couldn't let that happen to you. I've lost so many people Hermione. I couldn't lose you too. I'm not strong enough. I lost you once when I thought that Dolohov had killed you. I can't go through that again. I'm not strong enough." He sank back on his pillows, and then before he knew it all the barriers he had spent so long erecting crumbled.

He curled into a ball and started crying. Great, heaving sobs wracked his body. He didn't know how to deal with it so he retreated into himself, shuddering in his grief.

Hermione twisted herself out of her father's arms and launched herself onto Harry. She curled herself around him, spooning herself to him, and holding him close. She whispered into his ear all her love and affection for him.

"It's okay Harry, I'm here for you. I'm never going to leave your side Harry. No one is ever going to separate us again. You don't have to worry any more. I'll always help you through everything. I'm with you through anything that might happen. Just relax now Harry. Just relax in my arms and don't worry about anything right now." She sighed in relief as slowly the tension left his body and he started to straighten out. Within moments he was asleep once again in her arms.

Mrs. Granger looked at her husband and motioned with her head for the two of them to leave the room. Once they slipped out the door she turned to him with a look of great concern in her eyes.

He matched her look. "Do you think we're doing the right thing? Don't you think that we should take her and leave; just get as far away from here as we can? She's obviously in danger."

"We can't Robert, and you know it. Look at them in there. Have you ever seen to young people more in love than those two? If we were to take her away from him she'd either end up hating us and hurting herself, or she'd leave us and come back to him."

"Then let's take him with us. If we get him to go as well then she'll be happy, right?" He looked at her with false hope.

"He has to stay. From what I gather from his letter, there is some mystical prophesy that pins all their hopes on him. If he walks away from that then he condemns all he holds dear to destruction. No Robert, I don't pretend to understand it all, but he needs to be here, and unfortunately, so does she."

She turned to look at the door again. "I think that the best we can do is get to know this young man who has captured our little girl's heart, and to support the two of them as best as we can. If we love her then that's all we can do."

"You're right of course, luv," he replied, wrapping his arms around her. "It's just that that's our kitten in there, and I'm worried about her."

"I know you are. So am I," she responded. "But, well I mean really, look around you Robert. Look at all of this. Our Hermione is a part of this. This is who she is." She sighed and looked up into the face of the man that she loved so dearly. "Why don't we go back to the tower and to the room that the Headmaster provided for us. Besides, I love the idea of talking paintings. Think of the things that she must know." With a chuckle she led her husband off towards Gryffindor tower.

Harry once again found himself waking in the arms of an angel. It was by far the most contented feeling that he had ever experienced. He sighed happily.

"It's about time you woke up mister," the angel said to him. "I think that you owe me an explanation Harry," she said.

Harry sighed again, this time tinged with frustration. So much for his illusion of normalcy. He turned his head to look at Hermione. "I opened the connection Hermione," he started.

"I opened the connection all the way. I let him in to my head, passed the wards, so that he could come in. At first he didn't want to, as he remembered what had happened to him when he tried to possess me at the Ministry. But then I convinced him that I was despondent and wanted to die. It wasn't hard to do, as I truly did want to die at that moment. What I didn't show him was that I wanted to take him with me.

"Once he was in I flooded the link with every ounce of love that I had. I thought of my love for my parents, for Sirius, for the Weasleys. What really made it work though, was when I thought of you. I overloaded him on my love for you. Since he was a being held together by the magic of his hatred for me and by his fear of death, he had no ability to deal with my capacity for love.

"That is my greatest ability Hermione, my ability to love. Dumbledore told me so in his office last month. Despite everything that I've been through I can still love. How many people can say that? Despite everything, I love you more than I love life. I would do anything to keep you safe.

"So, getting back to my explanation, I overloaded him and his body couldn't withstand the stresses. The conflicting magics ripped him apart, and I guess the feedback destroyed my bedroom. I really figured that I was going to die in the struggle, but I was prepared to if it meant that I could provide you with a life without Voldemort in it."

He smiled at her. He couldn't help it. He had just confessed that he loved her and she hadn't shrunk away from him. She hadn't cried out in revulsion. She hadn't slapped him across the face. As far as he was concerned, if she didn't hate him then he could live with anything else.

"So he's really gone?" she asked.

"I don't really know. I mean, the last time that his body was destroyed he lived through it, so I can't really say. However, the last time there was thirteen years without him being back in the flesh, now wasn't there. I don't know if his soul could resist this one though. We'll have to ask Professor Dumbledore."

"Ask me what Harry?" came a response from the greatest wizard of his age as he walked into the infirmary. "I must say that you always seem to give us such interesting ways to spend our summer holidays my dear boy," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Hello Professor," said Harry as he disentangled himself from Hermione's arms so that he could sit up.

"Ah, young love. I daresay that our young Miss Weasley is going to be very upset to find out that once again you are ineligible for her affections, Harry. Ah the attentions of a spirited young woman are what we men live for I'm afraid." He glanced at Hermione, who was turning beet red in the face. Harry found himself matching her shade rather quickly.

"No matter, though I must say that Miss Granger is a much more suitable match for you than Miss Chang ever was. I applaud your choice. Now, you wished to ask me something?"

Recovering his composure, Harry sat up straighter and replied. "Yes Professor. We were wondering if Voldemort could have survived this. I did what I felt was right…" He explained in great detail what he had done, and why he had done so to the Headmaster.

"That is a very interesting question Harry. One that I must say that I do not have an answer for at the present time. I have suspicions however, and if my suspicions are correct, then yes, I am afraid that Voldemort might have survived even this. However, it does appear that you have given us a very valuable reprieve from the hostilities. With Voldemort bodiless his remaining Death Eaters shall once more go to ground, and we can get down to ridding the world of Voldemort once and for all.

"That being said, I wish to tutor you and your friends personally this year Harry. I feel that if we are to find a way to accomplish that which we seek, we shall have to take some rather extreme measures to do so. Therefore, I believe it is in your best interests, as well as those of your friends that you deem worthy, to learn as much as you can in preparation for these trying times to come."

"You want to train me and my friends, Professor?" Harry asked, not quite believing what he just heard.

"I believe that I just said that. I shall leave the final selection of who I train up to you, of course, but I have a suggestion. Take only those that have proven themselves worthy of such a thing. I might be so bold as to suggest your friends from the Department of Mysteries adventure. Each of them have shown you where their loyalties lie." He turned to go, but stopped at the door and turned back to face the pair.

"I also believe that there will be repercussions from your actions this summer Harry. Your family has once again invoked the most ancient and powerful of magics. When two people invoke love induced magic when they care so much about each other, well it sets things in motion that cannot be denied."

"What do you mean, Professor?" Hermione asked.

"My dear girl, what happened on Halloween night your first year?" Dumbledore responded with a question of his own.

"Harry saved me from a troll."

"Hey, Ron helped," Harry interjected.

"Be quiet Harry, we all know that he wouldn't have been there if you hadn't insisted. It was you that saved me."

"Quite correct my dear," Dumbledore said. "Now, what has Harry confessed to you this summer?"

"That he loves me," she said in a soft voice.

"True, true… Now, how do you feel about him?" Dumbledore smiled radiantly at her.

"I love him," she whispered.

"Ah, and now, what did he do to defeat Voldemort once again?" he asked.

"He used his love to vanquish him," she responded, understanding starting to dawn in her.

"Correct. Now, what did you do for him that night last week?"

"I resuscitated him. I saved his life."

"As always, correct. You have both invoked a very ancient magic." He turned to Harry. "I told you last month that there is no magic that can bring back the dead. I should have added to that. There is no magic that can bring back the dead that can be consciously invoked by a witch or wizard. However, Harry, Hermione invoked a very old magic that night, for you did indeed die. She invoked the magic of the purest kind. She invoked the power of her love for you.

"The Muggles understand this concept. They use it all the time. It is their greatest magic, and it is yours as well. She refused to give you up. Her love brought you back. Now this can only work under extremely limited circumstances, and it only works if the deceased has just died, but it can happen."

He smiled as an owl flew into the infirmary with a letter, heading straight for the pair. "As I said, there are always repercussions. I think that you will discover one of those momentarily. I shall leave you to your thoughts and discoveries. In the meantime I shall also fetch your parents Hermione. I believe you will have much to discuss with them shortly."

With that he left, and the owl deposited the letter in their laps. The looked at the envelope with a puzzled look on their faces. Harry opened it up and they read it. As they finished both teens did the only thing that they could do. They fainted dead away.

The Grangers found the two in the infirmary, both unconscious, Hermione with a letter clutched in her hands. "What is it with these damned letters?" asked her mother. She gently shook Hermione until she woke with a start. Seeing her parents there she let out a little gasp, and then reached over and woke Harry.

Harry woke a little less frantically than she did, but when he saw Hermione's parents he started scrambling for the back of the pillows. Hermione reached out and caught his wrist, effectively stopping him in place. He looked at her, panic plainly written on his face.

"We have to tell them Harry, there isn't any other choice." He shook his head quickly to indicate just what he thought of that decision, but at a glare from her he settled down. She turned to her thoroughly bewildered parents. "Mum, Daddy, you'd better sit down."

As her parents sat she handed them the letter. They both put their heads together, and her father started reading aloud. As he did so, Harry let out a low moan.

_Dear Mr. & Mrs. Potter,_

_As the appointed representative for the Department of Legal Registries at the Ministry of Magic, let me be the first to congratulate you on your recent nuptials. Seeing your name in the Register of Official Marriages made many heads swoon here, let me tell you. _

_While it is unusual it is not unheard of for two individuals as young as yourselves to marry, there are protocols that must be followed. It would be greatly appreciated if the parents or legal guardians of the both of you would be so kind as to stop by the Ministry and file the normal paperwork confirming their permission for your blessed union. _

_This is normally done before the marriage actually takes place, but it can be done retroactively provided that the said parents and/or guardians file the requisite forms within one month of said union. If the above mentioned paperwork is not supplied, then the Department shall dispatch investigators to confirm the above required permission._

_Thank you so much for your forbearance, and wishing you much happiness and longevity in your marriage,_

_Mercedes Hamilton, Department of Legal Registries._

"Well, it appears you've gone and gotten yourselves into a spot of difficulty, now haven't you?" Robert Granger asked the teens, a stern look upon his face.

Harry gulped for a moment, but then something sparked within him. He gently put an arm across Hermione's body and pulled her back so that he could position himself between her and her parents. "I swear, Mr. Granger, that neither of us did anything like that letter says. Please go easy on your daughter, she doesn't deserve your anger. I'll do anything I can to get her out of this mess. I'm rather well off, and I figure that should be good to get us a good Barrister, if she wants to be rid of this, that is." He turned and looked at her.

She was beaming with pride at him. He was defending her honor, to her parents none the less! She might not emotionally understand how this all happened, but she could figure it out shortly, of that she had no doubt. Professor Dumbledore had given her the clues. Now she just had to understand it and explain it to her parents and to Harry. Oh no! What if he didn't want to be with her!

She looked at him, but all she saw was love and caring, and concern for her well being in his eyes. She swallowed and peered around Harry. "Mum, Daddy, I think I can explain."

"Don't worry Kitten, we're not mad at you or Harry," her father said with a grin. He shrugged his shoulders at Harry. "I just had to see how your young man would react. From what I understand, he was well placed in Gryffindor. He appears to have the heart of a lion." He extended his hand to Harry who gripped it.

"Hello Harry, I don't believe we've ever been properly introduced. I'm Robert Granger and this is my wife, Jean. I believe we're your In-Laws."

"Erm, Hello Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger. I'm Harry Potter. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I didn't really expect to do so under such circumstances though." Harry ran his hand through his hair. It seemed to be growing back at an alarming rate.

"That's alright, Harry," Mrs. Granger said. "Robert and I had already agreed earlier to support you and Hermione no matter what came of it. I must say that this is rather a bit of a shock though. Hermione, luv, you mentioned that you thought you could explain it to us?"

"Yes Mum. You see, when a witch or a wizard saves another witch or wizard, a bond is formed. Back in our first year Harry saved me from a mountain troll. Remember I told you about how he came to my rescue with his friend Ron? Well, that formed a bond between us. The three of us have been best of friends ever since. Harry also saved me a couple of other times over the last four years. Now, however, we've kind of fallen in love with each other. That doesn't happen very often between two who already have the life bond. Now, when two who already have such a bond, and then they fall in love, and then the one that was previously saved saves the original savior in return, well, it does something to the bond."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.

"It transforms the life bond into a soul bond, Harry," she explained. "It means that we soul bonded last week. It sealed our love." She had gotten very quiet with her speech. She hoped that he wouldn't react to this the way he always did when he felt he had been manipulated by others or just the fates.

"So we _are_ married," he whispered. He looked at her. "How do you feel about that, Hermione?"

"What about you, Harry?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"Shhhh…" Harry replied, waving his hand for her to let Hermione speak. "I want to hear how she feels about this."

"Well, to be honest about it Harry, I'm kind of happy actually," she responded. "I mean, since second year, I've kind of had this fantasy about being Mrs. Harry Potter. At first it was because you were so famous, and you had decided to be my friend and all, but then I got to know you, and you became just Harry, and surprisingly, the fantasy never went away." She nibbled on her bottom lip like she always did when she was nervous.

""You've wanted to be with me since second year?" he choked out. "Why didn't you ever tell me? We could have… but in fourth year when Rita Skeeter wrote… last year with Cho… why?"

"Come on Harry. I mean, look at me. I'm so plain. I'm a book worm, I have bushy hair, and I'm not pretty like Cho or Ginny or Lavender. What have I got to offer you? I contented myself with your friendship. At least I could have you that way after all. It was enough." She looked at him as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Give me a moment to answer that," he managed to get out. He got up off the bed and paced for a moment. "Do you realize how long I've gone without anyone ever saying 'I love you' to me?" He stopped pacing and looked at her. She shrank back a bit. "I would give almost anything to go back and make you tell me earlier, so that we could have been happier these last few years. I think that both of us had so many issues that we could have benefited from it."

He looked at her parents. "Mr. & Mrs. Granger, I love your daughter, and I had thought to ask for permission to date her tonight. Instead I find myself asking for you to accept me into your family. I've never had a proper family before now. I don't really know how to do this right.

"I thought that I would have a couple of years to date her before I asked her to marry me, but it seems that fate had other plans for us. If we are indeed soul bonded, then I could never ask her to give that up. I certainly don't want to give it up. I know that I want to spend my life with her. The last five years have taught me that. I want to make her happy. I want her to someday have a family of our own with me. I want to be a part of her successes and failures. I want to make her life complete.

"I have the means available to me to make sure that she wants for absolutely nothing. I would give it all up to have my parents and Sirius back, but there it is. I can at least use what they left me to make her comfortable. She won't have to do a day's work that she doesn't want to for the rest of her life. Whatever she wants to do she can. I hope that she wants to always spend those days with me."

He sighed and sat down on the bed, reaching over to grab her hand. As he did so he started giggling madly.

"What's so funny Harry?" asked Mrs. Granger.

"I just realized that I'm married to the most incredible witch in the world, and I've never even kissed her. That pretty much sums up my life. Effing bizarre if you asked me." He realized what he had said and immediately turned bright red. "Erm, sorry about that."

"Let's change that, shall we?" Hermione said as she grabbed him. She leaned in and they kissed for the very first time. Having only had one other kiss in his life, and that one being a rather messy thing with Cho under the mistletoe, he wasn't exactly an expert in what a good kiss should be.

He could only say that this was something that felt so right that it kind of scared him. Her lips were feathery soft and light on his. The feeling that exploded through his brain when their lips touched had him instantly addicted to this though. It was by far the most incredible experience of his life.

When they finally surfaced due to lack of oxygen, Harry let out a satisfied gasp. "I think I could summon one Hell of a patronus off that kiss," he murmured.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything other than the story line . All rights belong to J.K. Rowling

**Chapter Two**

The Grangers were sitting in the quarters that the Headmaster had provided for them, wondering what they could do given the situation that they now found themselves and their little girl in. Jean turned to her husband of twenty years. "Well Robert, what do you think," she asked.

"Honestly, I don't rightly know. I mean, married? What father ever expects his little girl to come home and announce that she's eloped? It came as rather a shock, let me tell you."

"I understand that dear, but think of what it must have been like for the kids. Harry looked positively panic stricken when he realized that you and I were going to find out what had happened." She looked off into space for a moment, picturing her new son-in-law. "Sure, I could have done without becoming a mother-in-law quite so soon, but let's face facts. I think that Hermione's been in love with him for a long time now. She did mention that she had been thinking about it for about three years now."

"Obviously they're going to need our support and guidance for a while," Robert said. "While I don't doubt for a moment that our Kitten loves him, and that he loves her for that matter, I doubt that they realize what it means to be married to someone. It isn't the easiest thing to do under ideal circumstances. It can be very trying to say the least. No matter how well you know someone, you always marry a stranger." He sighed and sat back. "That whole soul bond thing should make it easier for them in the long run. At least, I hope that it does for both of their sakes."

He grabbed his wife's hand. "At least this Harry seems like a good bloke, even if he did do an incredibly stupid thing the other day."

"Now Robert, we don't even really know the circumstances behind that. I don't know what I would do if I had to face down a dark wizard that had already held most of the wizarding world hostage if I were his age. Hell, I don't know what I would do at my age." She stroked her husband's face for a moment. I think you're right though, they are going to need our love and support. They want to have a meeting tomorrow after a trip to Diagon Alley. I think we should be there to show everyone that we're behind them, and that they have our implicit support."

"You're right, as always my love. Let's get some rest though, I have a feeling that we're going to need our strength tomorrow." They made their way to the bedroom, hoping for a night's sleep before the big day.

In the meantime, Harry and Hermione, with the former being released from the hospital wing, had been shown to their quarters by a stern faced Professor McGonagall. They stopped at the entrance to the Head students' quarters. McGonagall spoke a soft password to the portrait and led them inside.

Once they were inside, she turned to face them. "Well, what do the two of you have to say for yourselves? Come now, Mr. Potter, surely you have some sort of reasoning behind almost killing yourself. Do you really hate life so much that you can see fit to throw it away like that?"

Harry didn't really have a response for her. At the time, it seemed like the only recourse that he had. He opened his mouth to say so, but the reply died on his lips. How do you tell someone that you had to kill yourself to protect those that you loved? How do you tell the woman that has been a surrogate grandmother to you for the last five years that you had to kill someone in order to survive? As he struggled for the words Hermione leapt to his rescue.

"Professor please," she started. The older witch wheeled on her but the younger witch was not to be denied. "Harry's been attacked once again by V-Voldemort, and he has come away alive. Isn't that enough? He may have even rid the world of that bastard once and for all. Then, after all the trauma that he's gone through in the last few weeks, with losing the only man he has ever been close to, and the repeated attacks on himself and his friends, he finds out that he's married! Don't you think that he's been through enough for a while? He certainly doesn't need someone that he respects and looks up to like yourself belittling him for what he has endured! He cares very deeply about what you think about him!" She was pleading now.

She pointed over at Harry. "Look at him! He's a wreck right now! He's trembling because he doesn't know how to deal with this! So if I can help him through it, to find a little peace in the storm that is his life, I'm going to do it! And so help me, if anyone stands in my way I will tear them limb from limb!

"We didn't ask for this! We didn't intend to get married at fifteen! We only wanted to be together, to find a little happiness! We wanted to be like normal teenagers! We never thought we would be soul-bonded! But let me tell you this! I love this man! If he'll have me I'll be at his side for the rest of my life! Neither of us expected this, but we have something that I never thought I would experience! Do you know that no-one has ever told Harry that they loved him?

"He's one of the gentlest souls at heart that I have ever met. He cares for everyone, and he tries to help anyone that needs it. He's so brave, and valiant, and caring. I've never met anyone like him. I expect that I'll never meet anyone else like him in my life, and by Merlin I intend to keep him now that I know that he loves me."

She looked over at Harry, and then grabbed his hand. She pulled it up to her lips and gently kissed his palm. The look in her eyes sent a chill through his spine. He had never seen such naked emotion in her eyes before. All the love and caring she felt for him radiated out of her eyes at that moment.

"Very well Mrs. Potter," Professor McGonagall said. "You have convinced me. Do try to be responsible and not find yourself pregnant on your first night together with your young husband." She patted Harry's cheek with her hand, and strode out of the entrance, leaving a stunned pair of teens standing there watching where she had left.

Hermione turned to Harry, who was still trembling. She enveloped him in a hug. "Don't worry Harry, everything will be alright," she whispered to him. Slowly, his trembling slowed and then stopped. His arms came up and he returned the hug.

"That's better Harry. Now let's go over and sit down for a little bit and talk." She led him over to a love seat and sat down next to him, her legs curled up underneath herself so that she could be facing him.

"Harry, I meant what I said a moment ago. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. I've never felt this way about anyone before, and I don't want to give it up. Whatever you need, whatever you want, I want to give it to you. Whatever it is, I'll be there for you. You, Harry Potter, are the reason I've pushed myself so hard over the years. You are the reason that I've strove to be the best witch in our year. I did it so that I could be there for you. Can you understand that?"

Harry nodded his head in affirmation. He did understand, more than she realized. He never would have done everything he did the last year if not for her. He never would have had the courage to do the things that he continually did without her encouraging him. As with men throughout the ages, he found the courage to go on in the face of overwhelming odds in the visage of the woman in front of him. He would do anything she asked of him. He would do anything she wished, merely because she wished it.

"Erm, Hermione, about tonight…"

"Harry, we don't have to do anything you don't want to do," she replied with a light laugh. "I love you and I'm willing to wait for you to be comfortable with me."

"It's not that Hermione," he pushed on. "It's just that, well, I don't really have any idea what to do…" He looked at her, pleading his case with his eyes. "I mean, what if I cock it up? What if I'm no good? I've never done anything like this before…"

"Harry, it's okay, neither have I. Oh, I've read about it of course, but I've never actually done anything, I mean who'd have me? I'm not much to look at, and I'm a bossy bookworm. I've got this wretched hair, I'm not very curvy, I mean I'm really rather painfully thin, and I look more like a boy…"

Harry stopped her right there. "Mione, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met. As for your hair, have you looked at mine lately? I really don't mind hair that can't be controlled. And you really don't have to have curves like Lavender or Susan. Look at Parvati and Padma, or Ginny, or Luna. None of them are really curvy. Does that make them any less pretty? If it doesn't make them any less pretty, why should it make you any less pretty? Hermione, I've known you were pretty for years now. I just didn't think it was appropriate for a best friend to be ogling someone that he thought so much of."

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Merlin, Mione, for the last year every time I looked at you I got a thrill that ran through me. I've come to realize something. Everyone says that us Potter men have a thing for redheads. I think that they've got it wrong. We've got a thing for brainy women."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged and responded, "Who did I fall in love with?" She graced him with a smile for that. "If you look at my Mum, she was considered one of the smartest witches of her time, and she was Head Girl as well. I think it's safe to say that the Potter men have a thing for the bookworms."

He took her hands. "I'm kind of scared at being married to you Hermione. I don't really deserve anyone like you, but I'm going to try my hardest to be the best husband that I can be for you."

Hermione's heart went out to him. "I'll be happy with just being in the same bed with you tonight Harry. I think that learning to be together is going to take time for the two of us. I know that you love me, and I love you so much, so let's just get to know each other slowly on that side of it."

"As always Mione, I think that you're right on this one. Come on, let's go to bed and just enjoy our first night together without any pressure on either of us." He stood up and grabbed her hand with a lop-sided grin.

*0*0*

The next evening saw a large group assembled in the Gryffindor common room. Professor Dumbledore had come through and gotten Arthur and Molly Weasley to bring Ron and Ginny. Xenophilius Lovegood had come with Luna, and Augusta Longbottom had brought Neville. Professor McGonagall was there, as well as Jean and Robert Granger, who sat on either side of Harry and Hermione on the main couch. Also present were Professors Filtwick as Luna's Head of House and Professor Dumbledore in his role as Headmaster. Sitting around the families were Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Kingsley Shackelbolt, and Nymphadora Tonks.

Professor Dumbledore started off. "I'd like to thank each of you for being here. As you are all now aware of, remarkable and tragic events have taken place over the last few weeks, and it has primarily been involved with these six rather remarkable students that we have here. With that in mind, I am going to let Harry speak first, as he is pivotal in all of this."

"Thank you Professor," Harry began. I would also like to take the moment to thank each of the parents that are here, and for allowing your children to attend this meeting. I am the reason that we are having this meeting, as I, well Hermione and I requested it." He placed a reassuring hand on Hermione's shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

"The primary reason for this meeting is to allow for full disclosure of just what has happened, and the reasons why these events have taken place. After that, Professor Dumbledore and I have a proposal for the parents. Then, we would appreciate the guidance that your years of experience can give to us."

Harry sighed and looked at Hermione for affirmation. She gave him a soft smile, but it was the twinkle in her eyes that set his heart aflutter. He took a deep breath, summoned all his Gryffindor courage, and waded into the waters.

"As I'm sure each of you knows, I have a sort of 'saving people thing', as so eloquently put by Hermione. During our first year, there was Hermione that needed to be saved from a troll. During second year it was Ginny who was in trouble from Tom Riddle's diary. Third year brought us to Sirius and Buckbeak. Fourth year I had to bring back Cedric's body. Last Christmas it was Mr. Weasley, and then just last month the six of us students went to the Ministry to try and rescue Sirius from Voldemort.

"What I didn't know at the time was that it was a Death Eater trap that was set for me to try and get me to retrieve a prophesy that Voldemort wanted." A collective shudder went up through most of the crowd at the mention of his nemesis's name. "Oh get over it people," Harry chided. "It's just a made up name. To fear to speak his name it to give him more power than he actually holds. I for one refuse to do that. I know his real name, it's Tom Marvolo Riddle. He simply rearranged the letters to spell 'I am Lord Voldemort' so that he didn't have to have his Muggle father's name.

"Now, as I was saying, that prophesy has been the key to all the events that have happened for the last fifteen years. It has led to the deaths of many people in my life, the latest of which was my Godfather, Sirius Black. I refuse to let anymore die for that prophesy."

"But the prophesy was lost when the globe was smashed in the death chamber," Neville said.

"Yes it was Neville," replied Harry. "However, since the prophesy was originally given to Professor Dumbledore, he revealed it to me. It goes something like this: _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"_

There were gasps around the room. Molly Weasley had tears streaming down her cheeks. She know all too well what this prophesy meant. "So this means that you have to defeat V-Voldemort," Ron blurted out. He winced as Ginny smacked the back of his head.

"Well, surprisingly enough Ron, it could have referred to two different children, both of whom are in this room," Hermione said.

"It could have been Longbottom," Moody growled. "Frank and Alice had fought him three times as well. That's why they went into hiding at the same time the Potters did," he mused, more to himself than to anyone else.

"Correct Alastor," said Dumbledore. "Though it that third line that brings it all down to Harry. Voldemort chose Harry, the half-blood, rather than Neville, the pure blood, to go after that night. Whether it was his first choice, availability, or perhaps he had intended to go after both boys we may never know. What we do know is that Voldemort indeed did choose to mark Harry as his equal. One look at his brow should be sufficient to see that." He nodded over at Harry.

"And now you know why events have played out over the last fifteen years. All because of that damned prophesy. Because of that I was robbed of a childhood. Because of that many good people died. And because of that prophesy I confronted Voldemort another time just one week ago…"

All eyes were on Harry at this point. Many were filled with tears. Many others were filled with abject shock or terror. "On week ago I sat at Privet Drive and thought. All those that I love have been targeted by that bastard because I love them. That made each of you a target." He nodded around the room at this friends and those he considered family. "I couldn't allow that to happen again. Therefore, since I share this link with him," he tapped his scar, "I opened the link and let him in. I made him think that I wanted to die. Actually, I think that at the time I did want to die, though if I was going to die I made a vow to take him with me."

He stopped for a moment to gather his thoughts. "But, I wanted someone to know what had happened. I wrote what amounted to a suicide note to Hermione explaining what I was going to do. I didn't think that Hedwig would be so fast getting to her though. She arrived just as I was fighting Voldemort in my head. The backlash blew up the side of my Aunt and Uncle's house. I should have died.

"However, Hermione here, along with her parents, saved my life. That was one week ago. Professor Dumbledore and I believe that Voldemort's body was destroyed in the backlash, and that he is in a similar state to the one he was in fifteen years ago. The unfortunate part of this tale is that his Death Eaters are actively searching for the means to bring him back once again."

He looked around the room. "Professor Dumbledore believes, and I am forced to agree with him that power that I have the Voldemort doesn't know is the ability to love. That power once again has given us a break in the fighting to gather our strength and to do what needs to be done to insure that Voldemort doesn't come back once again. We figure that we have no more than eight to fifteen months before he returns to track down the way that he keeps thwarting death, and to defeat any Death Eaters that stand in our way.

"Sadly, this phase of the war is going to be fought by the younger generation, and that means us." He gestured to his friends. "What we need, most desperately, is the guidance and experience that the rest of you have. We need to learn from you what you will teach us so that when the time comes, we are prepared to do what must be done. Hermione and her parents are already in this, and believe me when I say that I wish circumstances were otherwise. I would never willingly place my friends in such danger. However, in this I have no choice.

"They chose to stand with me at least once before. I am asking your permission for them to train with me. They are in danger, and I would see them better able to defend themselves if necessary. Please know that I love each and every one of them. Professor Dumbledore has agreed to take all six of us on as his apprentices. To this end, I am going to form an order, similar to the one that most of the adults here are members of." He had a twinkle in his eye similar to the one that Dumbledore usually had.

"I am going to call this order the Order of Orion, named after the mythological hunter, for we shall all be hunting for the answer the riddle of Voldemort. It is also so named, because the constellation family of Orion contains not only Orion, but Canus Major, which holds the Dog Star, or Sirius." He looked around. "I am devoting Sirius's entire fortune to the effort, and I am deadly serious about training. I am the only one that must actually meet Tom Riddle in combat, but l cannot accomplish this alone. I need those around me that I can count on."

He looked directly at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "I know that you don't want your children involved Mrs. Weasley, but because they are so close to me, I'm pleading with you to allow me to let them at least train with me so that they can protect themselves. Ron and Ginny are as much my brother and sister as anyone ever could be. I love them both so much, and if they were killed because of me, well, I wouldn't want to go on living."

He sighed again. "While the parents are thinking things over, Hermione and I have one more thing to explain, and it is going to be tough, so please bear with us." He nodded at Hermione who reached across and grabbed Harry's left hand with her own left hand. With her other hand she waved her wand over them and muttered a counter charm. As she did so, revealed on her left hand were two rings, and a single band upon Harry's left ring finger.

"We had these made this morning in Diagon Alley," he said before anyone could do more than gasp. "As Professor Dumbledore so aptly reminded us, there are consequences to every action, and that is especially true in the magical world.

"Because Hermione and I have both saved each other's lives now, but in between times managed to fall in love with each other, while never telling the other mind you, what would amount to a life bond has transformed into much more. In effect when we did so, we became married."

The effect was immediate. Ginny's eyes got wide, and then tears started to form in her eyes. Molly stood up and said gently "Harry dear, I know that you think that that happened, but you and Hermione are too young. You can't be married. I must _insist_ that you stop this foolishness right now."

Jean Granger had seen enough. She stood up and marched over to Mrs. Weasley. "Madam, your comment is neither asked for nor welcome. Before you embarrass yourself anymore I suggest you read this." She took out the letter that her daughter and Harry had received the day before and handed it to the stricken looking redhead.

Molly read over the document silently, her mouth forming the words as she read it through. She then remained silent as she handed the parchment over to her husband for his advice. Jean Granger was not done however. "Mrs. Weasley, my husband and I have had a day to come to grips with this, and to have a couple of long talks with both of _our_ children." She paused a moment for her emphasis on the word _our_ to sink in to the woman across from her.

"Both Harry and Hermione understand the severity of their actions, and the implications from them, but quite frankly would not change it if they could; which by the way, we have been assured by the professors present in the room that they cannot. So now we find ourselves in the interesting position of not only having a brilliant young witch in our family, but a young wizard of what appears to be outstanding moral character as well.

"Rest assured that Robert and I shall do everything in our power to assist them in their lives, even if that means we have to go against the wishes of every witch and wizard in Britain! Now, Mrs. Weasley, have I made myself perfectly clear?"

"Perfectly Mrs. Granger, I apologize for my outburst," said Molly. "I would ask you to realize that for the last five years I have been the only mother figure that Harry has had. I've come to be very attached to him, and I tend to think of him as my own son. Sometimes he does tend to be very impetuous, and it gets him in trouble. I worry about him, and Hermione as well."

"We know that you do, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione. "Believe me when I say that neither Harry nor I intended to end up married. It just happened, and regardless of how it did or how other people see it, it is ultimately Harry and I that have to deal with it."

"That's right Mrs. Weasley. I love you like a parent, but Hermione and I have to be the ones that live with this." He smiled at his new wife. "Frankly, I couldn't be happier right now if I tried. Mrs. Weasley, I have a soul bond with this woman. Do you understand what that means?" She nodded at him. "To me it means that I love her more than anyone else in the world. Because of that I'm asking you to accept this, because if you make me choose between you and Hermione, I guarantee that you will lose. I will choose her before anyone else, and that includes everyone in this room."

He looked at the other parents and guardians assembled. "Now, back to my original proposal; will you allow us to train together under Professor Dumbledore's tutelage?"

It only took a moment's deliberation before the parents agreed, though Molly Weasley was still somewhat reluctant to have her two youngest children involved in the war effort.

"Now that that is settled," said Harry, "I have one other thing that I want to address, and this is primarily directed towards the four students that went with us to the Department of Mysteries." He saw that he had their undivided attention. "Ron, you have been my brother for five years. Yes, we've had our differences, but you came around and stood with me. Next to Hermione, you are my closest friend."

He turned to Ginny. "Gin, I know that you wished that more could have been between us, and maybe if Hermione wasn't in the picture there might have been. I don't know. I do know this. I love you very much and need you to be a part of my life, just not in the way that you originally wanted. I have never had a sister except for you. You taught me that anything is possible. When I took the time to become your friend, it opened up a side of me that I didn't see before. I hope that you will continue to be a part of my life."

He looked at Luna. "Luna Lovegood, I don't know if anyone understands me quite like you do. You never once took the majority view of me, and always have given me a chance just to be your friend. Maybe it's because we both have been ostracized and outcast. Maybe that's just who you are. I don't know and I don't care. In this last year you have proven yourself to be one of my closest and truest friends, and I shan't forget it. You shall always be welcome in the House of Potter as long as you may live."

Lastly, he turned to Neville. "Mate, I've known about your parents for over a year now, and I just found out about how we both were involved in the prophesy. Truthfully though, it has never really made any difference to me. You have always put yourself down, and not believed in yourself. Yet it has been you, more than anyone else who has made the biggest strides in the last year. You proved your mettle at the Ministry, and you did your parents proud that night. You had done me proud long before that. You have the heart both of a Gryffindor Lion and Hufflepuff Badger. To me you are a friend in the truest sense of the word.

"I wish all of you present here to bear witness to this. Cultures throughout the world have a tradition called the blood brother. It is a binding through a blood oath between warriors of different families together in ties that are as close as those of any family. I offer for each of us to bind our houses together as blood brothers and sisters. I believe that Professor Flitwick can assure that it is a binding magical ceremony. It insures that our houses shall always come to the aid of the one in need. All the resources of the Houses of Potter and Black will be available to my brothers and sisters in blood. Of course, it goes both ways…"

**Author's Note: **I have tried to give Harry a voice independent of Hermione's. I hope that I have thus far succeeded. The reccomendation that I have for this chapter is "Harry Potter and the Story by Dad" by Dad9. 80+ chapters in this ongoing HP/HG fic. I have enjoyed each and every one...


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